Findings

During 2008, the total annual nominal charge for a full-time undergraduate student to attend a public 4-year institution averaged $13,424 nationally, an increase of 76% during the past decade in current dollars. This was equivalent to an increase of approximately 40% after adjusting for inflation.

All states showed major increases in undergraduate charges at public institutions in 2008, as compared with 1998. In several states, undergraduate charges more than doubled during this period.

In 2008, the state average for a year of undergraduate education at a public 4-year institution ranged from a low of $9,479 to a high of $19,548.

Tuition and required fees averaged 44% of the total charges at public 4-year institutions in 2008, but individual states had different cost structures.

Description

The average annual charge for an undergraduate student
to attend a public 4-year academic institution is one indicator
of how accessible higher education is to a state's students. The
annual charge includes standard in-state charges for tuition,
required fees, room, and board for a full-time undergraduate
student who is a resident of that state. These charges were
weighted by the number of full-time undergraduates attending
each public institution within the state. The total charge for
all public 4-year institutions in the state was divided by the
total number of full-time undergraduates attending all public
4-year institutions in the state. The year is the end date of the
academic year. For example, data for 2008 represent costs for
the 2007–08 academic year.

To improve educational attainment, the federal government,
state governments, and academic institutions provide various
kinds of financial aid that reduce the charge to students. The
data in this indicator do not include any adjustments for such
financial aid.

Data Table

Table 8-22

Average undergraduate charge at public 4-year institutions, by state: 1998, 2003, and 2008

(Dollars)

State

1998

2003

2008

United States

7,628

9,828

13,424

Alabama

6,354

7,931

11,035

Alaska

7,131

9,457

11,719

Arizona

6,669

8,797

12,289

Arkansas

5,890

7,791

10,598

California

8,491

10,849

14,893

Colorado

7,552

9,179

13,314

Connecticut

9,652

11,805

16,263

Delaware

9,165

11,523

16,165

District of Columbia

NA

NA

NA

Florida

6,890

8,762

10,709

Georgia

6,924

8,749

10,984

Hawaii

NA

8,242

12,202

Idaho

6,074

7,585

9,871

Illinois

8,537

11,027

16,795

Indiana

8,494

10,655

14,096

Iowa

6,426

9,185

13,191

Kansas

6,098

7,791

11,338

Kentucky

5,662

7,691

12,641

Louisiana

5,710

6,922

9,479

Maine

8,576

10,329

14,791

Maryland

9,717

12,332

15,644

Massachusetts

8,894

10,818

16,159

Michigan

8,947

11,408

16,003

Minnesota

7,617

9,983

14,188

Mississippi

5,534

8,039

10,776

Missouri

7,520

9,395

13,385

Montana

6,855

8,966

11,609

Nebraska

6,100

8,408

11,852

Nevada

7,295

9,001

12,168

New Hampshire

9,846

9,415

18,293

New Jersey

10,235

13,937

19,548

New Mexico

5,459

7,979

10,610

New York

9,460

10,984

14,140

North Carolina

5,919

8,350

10,889

North Dakota

6,264

7,388

11,134

Ohio

9,022

12,260

16,354

Oklahoma

5,301

6,832

10,600

Oregon

8,394

10,548

13,868

Pennsylvania

9,769

12,944

17,187

Rhode Island

9,962

12,266

15,775

South Carolina

7,160

11,139

15,089

South Dakota

5,993

7,724

10,522

Tennessee

5,788

8,349

11,340

Texas

6,313

8,661

12,367

Utah

5,953

7,410

9,706

Vermont

11,469

14,016

18,245

Virginia

8,627

9,538

13,928

Washington

7,704

10,816

13,478

West Virginia

6,558

8,175

11,426

Wisconsin

6,409

8,204

11,747

Wyoming

6,450

7,977

10,068

Puerto Rico

NA

NA

NA

NA = not available

NOTES: National average for United States from Digest of Education Statistics data tables. Average charges for entire academic year (reported in current dollars). Tuition and fees weighted by number of full-time-equivalent undergraduates but not adjusted to reflect student residency. Room and board based on full-time students.